


TANTRUM

by luvrvision



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24640417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvrvision/pseuds/luvrvision
Summary: Zen lashes out at his girlfriend after a rough week of practice.
Relationships: Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character, Zen | Ryu Hyun/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 87





	TANTRUM

A pleased grin spread across MC's lips as the sweet filling enveloped her taste buds. She was baking a coconut cream pie for her lovely Zen. He was working non-stop on a new musical - in which he was the lead, of course - and she thought it would be nice to surprise him with his favorite dessert. He didn't indulge himself very often, but MC decided that Zen deserved it! There's no way he'd turn it down even if it was the evening before opening night: MC had made it specially for him!

She had just finished turning the knob on the timer after sliding the crust into the oven when she heard the front door opening.

"Hi, Zen!" she sang from the kitchen. "How was rehearsal, honey?"

Zen didn't answer. Hmm. Perhaps he hadn't heard her. Wiping her hands on her apron, she rushed to the living room to welcome him home. He was barely in the door, brows furrowed and thumbs dancing furiously across his keyboard. 

MC made a mental note to check the chat room as she greeted, "I missed you! How was rehearsal?"

Again, Zen didn't answer. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him before shrugging his jacket from his shoulders to put away. MC furrowed her brows, ignoring the pang of hurt in her heart. Why was he ignoring her?

MC approached Zen, who turned around just before she reached him. He cried out in surprise before scowling. One long finger yanked an earbud out of his ear as he glared down at MC. MC jumped herself, his sudden loud voice startling her fragile system.

"What was that for?" he grumbled, tugging the other bud out of his other ear. "Nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry, Zenny," MC frowned. "I was just trying to ask about your day and thought you were ignoring me. I didn't see the earbuds."

Zen rolled his eyes, stepping past her and heading towards the kitchen. MC trailed after him, slightly hurt, and stood beside the counter as Zen grabbed a water bottle from the fridge.

"Why are you following me?" Zen snapped upon seeing MC rooted not too far from him. She jumped again at the sudden aggression, fumbling to get a sentence out before Zen continued, "I've been working with people all week. I'm going upstairs to work on one of my songs. Please, don't follow me. Clean up the kitchen or something instead. It's a mess."

With that, he vanished from the kitchen, his heavy footsteps receding as he went upstairs. MC exhaled softly and turned around, gazing at the flour strewn across the counter. Holding back tears, she returned to her previous task of baking. Maybe he just needed to cool off a little. She knew the week leading up to a show was always rough on Zen.

After an hour, the pie was finished and just needed to chill. MC tried to be proud of her hard work as she stuck the pie in the fridge, but she couldn't help but wonder why Zen had been so cold. He hadn't come downstairs at all. Today must've been extra stressful.

MC's eyes wandered to the undefined mass of water bottles on the second shelf. Hmm. Zen had been up in his studio singing and was surely out of water by now.

Water bottle in hand, MC steeled herself and ascended the stairs. She knocked gently on the heavy studio door before opening it slowly, peeking her head in. Zen was stood in the center of the room, once again typing furiously on his phone.

"Hey, Zen," MC said softly, stepping into the room. "I brought you some more water. Thought you might need it." She smiled brightly as Zen glanced over at her, but the expression on his features made her face drop. He looked as though he wanted to send her away and never see her again.

Instead, he reached out and took the water before uttering a curt, "Thanks." Then his attention was back on his phone. He cursed under his breath and tucked the bottle under his arm to once more type a frazzled reply to whoever he kept texting.

"Maybe you should take a break?" MC suggested. "I have a surprise for you."

"I'll get it later after you're in bed. Just tell me what it is so I can get it."

MC sighed. Telling him wouldn't be any fun, but she figured it was better than nothing. "A coconut cream pie. To celebrate all the effort you've put into this production."

"You know it's the night before the first show, right? I can't eat shit like that," Zen growled.

"A slice wouldn't hurt!" MC insisted, trying her best to hide the hurt from the actor.

"You wasted your time making that. I can't eat any and I know you aren't going to eat the whole thing before it goes bad."

The hurt showed plainly on MC's face now. She should just leave. Leave the room and wait for Zen to come to her. But she couldn't bring herself to do so.

"Come downstairs. You probably shouldn't sing more than you have to anyway. You might damage your voice," she pointed out.

"Yea, 'cause you know so much about vocals!" Zen hissed, his irritation breaking over into anger. "I'm the actor here, not you! I don't need to listen to you lecturing me on what I should and shouldn't do!"

"I just think taking some time away from the production might help you relax, even if temporarily!" MC cried as Zen's sharp eyes settled on her. There it was. That look again. It was so cold, paralyzing, and it made her want to retreat out of the room and never set foot back in it again.

"Are you stupid?" was Zen's only reply. MC's lips parted in surprise and she took a step back.

"W-What?"

"God, you must be if I have to spell it out for you. First, you come up here after I asked you not to follow me, and then you suggest I take a break from what may be the biggest production I've ever been apart of. Then you try telling me what's healthy for me when you have no idea what you're talking about! And to top it all off, you made me a pie I can't even eat to congratulate me," he snarled, finally turning to fully face her. Zen towered over MC, and for the first time since the two had met in person, MC was intimidated by his height. She had never seen him so angry, especially not at her.

She swallowed thickly and rebutted, "What has gotten into you tonight? Why are you being so rude?"

"What's gotten into me?" Zen echoed. His face was red by now. "What's gotten into you? You're clingier than you usually are and you can't just fucking leave me alone!"

MC flinched at his words. Something flashed in Zen's eyes, but it was gone before she could identify it. The two stared at each other for a moment before MC turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Zen was left standing alone with nothing but his regret. He shut his eyes and listened, silently berating himself, as he heard the front door open and shut.

Zen looked around, dumbfounded. Had that really just happened? Had he really just sent away the light of his life, his pride and joy? Where did that come from? Even Zen himself didn't know. No matter how stressed he had been, he had never taken out his anger on his dear MC.

Snapping out of his surprise, Zen frantically pulled up his contacts and called MC. It went to voicemail almost instantly. He groaned out loud and pulled up the RFA's chat.

Jumin immediately called him upon reading his frantic messages.

"How could you do something like that?" Jumin scolded. "You're supposed to protect her, not force her away like that. You're lucky I don't come over there and give you an earful in person."

"I know," Zen wailed. "I didn't mean to! This week has just been so stressful and I just didn't realize it had taken such a toll on me until I was lashing out at her."

"Don't let it get that bad next time," Jumin ordered. "Seven's tracking her phone right now. He said he will contact you once he accesses her location."

"Alright," Zen sighed. "Thanks, Jumin." Almost as soon as he hung up, his phone was buzzing again. He swiped his thumb across the screen to answer.

"Got her location?"

"Yea, she's at a friend's house," Seven reported. Zen could hear keys clicking from the other end and knew Seven was trying to gain more information.

"Do you know which one?"

There was a soft gasp from Seven's end, then he cleared his throat and said, "Uh, does it matter which friend's house?"

"Is it Steph's?" Zen mumbled. He hated Steph. She was a bad influence on MC. The silence on the phone confirmed his suspicions.

"Don't go over there!" Seven exclaimed suddenly. "She only goes to Steph's to get away from you, so she must be really upset with you. Going over there would only make it worse."

"God, I won't," Zen promised. "I'm gonna try to call her again. Let me know if she goes elsewhere."

"I will. Over and out."

The phone clicked and Zen was left in silence. He slowly made his way downstairs to grab a beer, but upon seeing the pie in the fridge, he felt a wave of guilt and shame wash over him and he wasn't in the mood for alcohol. Shutting the fridge, Zen dragged himself into the living room and sat on the couch. His phone buzzed and his heart leapt, but his face fell when he saw it was just an admonishing text from Jaehee.

Hours passed and Zen hadn't moved from the couch or heard from MC. His anxiety grew more and more as he worried about what she could be doing and whether or not she was safe. He had thought about asking Jumin to send security guards to Steph's house, but he didn't want either of them to see them and catch on.

Zen was about to give up and just go to bed when the front door clicked and MC entered the home. Her pace faltered when she saw Zen sitting on the couch, waiting for her, but she walked right past him without a second glance.

"MC!" Zen exclaimed, leaping from the couch. He caught her arm and didn't give her a chance to protest before wrapping her in a bear hug. She didn't struggle, but she didn't pull away, and Zen almost burst into tears.

"Why'd you go to Steph's?" Zen couldn't help but ask as he pulled away. He was worried about what the two could've done without his voice of reason.

"Mm, sorry, must be because I'm stupid," MC spat. She didn't bat an eye at the fact that he knew where she was. Taking her phone with her had been an open invitation to Seven to track her. It didn't bother her too much. At least nobody had come chasing after her.

Zen winced. "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean it."

"You sure sounded like you meant it. You listed off, like, four different reasons why I'm stupid. I guess going to Steph's makes it five, huh?" she growled, faking a sickly-sweet smile.

"I'm sorry, MC, I never should've said anything I did," Zen whispered, taking MC's hands in his own. He tugged her closer and held her tight, nuzzling into her hair.

"Then why did you?" MC whimpered, her tough exterior crumbling at the simple gesture. Tears flooded her eyes and soon she was sobbing into his shoulder. It tore Zen's heart in two. He hated seeing her in pain, and it was even worse now because he was the cause of it.

"I don't know, honey," he admitted softly, stroking her hair lovingly. "I didn't mean any of it. You're not stupid. You're the most intelligent being on this planet. I don't want you to leave me alone, ever."

MC didn't reply, just cried softly into Zen's shirt. He just held her close, kissing her cheek and rubbing her back lovingly.

"Please don't say anything like that ever again," she croaked eventually, looking up at him with shining eyes. Zen smiled sadly and reached up, wiping away her tears.

"Never, my love."

"I understand that you were stressed but please, please don't shut me out again. Please don't send me away," MC begged, laying her head against Zen's chest.

"I won't let it get that bad again," he promised.

"Thank you, Zenny."

"Anything for you, honey," he whispered. "Do you maybe want to go eat some pie?"

MC's head shot up. "I thought you weren't gonna eat any?"

"I'm an ass, darling," Zen laughed, rubbing his thumb across MC's cheek affectionately. "So, pie?"

MC giggled. "Thank you! But can we maybe eat some tomorrow? I just want to go to bed and put today behind us."

"Of course, my love," Zen agreed. Effortlessly, he scooped MC up in his arms, carrying her gently upstairs and into their shared room. He helped her undress and gave her an old long sleeved shirt of his to sleep in before the two climbed into bed together. Zen held MC close, and she fell asleep curled safely into his side, right where she belonged.


End file.
